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By significant margins, Europeans have high hopes for a potential Obama administration, according to a Transatlantic Trends poll of 12 European countries.

Forty-seven percent of Europeans believe an Obama victory in November would lead to a better relationship between the United States and Europe, versus just 5 percent who think Obama would weaken the trans-Atlantic relationship.

By comparison, only 11 percent think Sen. John McCain would strengthen European-American relations if he were elected president. More than half of respondents said a McCain administration would keep relations between the United States and Europe in roughly the condition they are now.

The poll, commissioned by the German Marshall Fund and conducted by the firm TNS Opinion from June 4-28, queried at least a thousand respondents in each of a dozen countries, including Germany, France, Poland, Slovakia and Turkey.

The survey’s release Wednesday follows the news of a BBC poll, conducted by the GlobeScan service and published Tuesday, showing that in 17 of 22 nations tested, respondents across the globe expected an Obama win would improve American relations with the rest of the world.

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It also comes on the heels of a report Tuesday that Gordon Brown, the British prime minister, intends to publish a column praising Obama’s response to the troubled real estate market. In an unorthodox step for a foreign leader, Brown is expected to argue: “In the electrifying U.S. Presidential campaign, it is the Democrats who are generating the ideas to help people through more difficult times.”

According to the Transatlantic Trends report, Brown’s upbeat assessment of the Democratic presidential nominee is shared by the majority of his country: 75 percent of British respondents said they had a favorable or very favorable opinion of Obama.

Among Europeans more generally, that number was only slightly lower: 69 percent said they had a favorable impression of the Illinois senator.

McCain’s favorability ratings are considerably lower, with just 26 percent of Europeans giving him the thumbs up. He is also significantly less well-known than Obama: 29 percent of respondents did not render an up-or-down judgment on the Republican nominee, compared with just 19 percent who had no impression of Obama.

It is hardly shocking that Obama would be better liked in Europe than his opponent, given that McCain is a member of the same political party as President Bush. The president has consistently received dismal poll ratings from abroad, and in 2004 a GlobeScan survey showed Europeans favored the election of Sen. John F. Kerry by similarly wide margins — 74 percent to 7 percent in Norway, 74 percent to 10 percent in Germany and 64 percent to 5 percent in France.

It is also no surprise that Europeans would be more familiar with Obama than with McCain. In late July, Obama toured several European nations as part of a weeklong trip abroad, giving a speech in Berlin that attracted an audience in the hundreds of thousands.

Yet even as the Transatlantic Trends poll highlights Obama’s popularity in Europe, it outlines some of the diplomatic hurdles that any American president will face, regardless of party.

While 80 percent of Americans call it very or somewhat desirable for the United States to “exert strong leadership in world affairs,” just 33 percent of Europeans say the same. A quarter of European respondents called an assertive United States “very undesirable.”

While a majority of Europeans — 55 percent — said the United States and the European Union have close enough values to make diplomatic cooperation possible, they’re still less confident about it than Americans, 67 percent of whom said the United States and the EU could tackle international issues together.

And some persistent diplomatic disagreements, such as resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, also remain: Europeans expressed considerably less positive feelings about the state of Israel than did Americans.

This poll is meaningless drivel created by and for Obama's benefit. The problem is, most Americans know that large populations of Europe are socialists... .so socialists want a fellow socialist (Obama) to win. And that's news?

The fact that Europeans are so receptive to an Obama presidency should give Americans immediate pause for concern. Europeans are looking out for their own best interests, not America's. The fact is, a McCain administration friendly to big business would not be good for the Europeans, whose low coporate tax rates (20% and lower) and tax breaks have made them a favored tax shelter to the large multinationals:

Forty-seven percent of Europeans believe an Obama victory in November would lead to a better relationship between the United States and Europe, compared with just 5 percent who think Obama would weaken the transatlantic relationship.

looks like Europe has a lot to learn. An assertive America is undesirable? But maybe they should remember how many times we have had to come to their aid.

This poll is meaningless drivel created by and for Obama's benefit. The problem is, most Americans know that large populations of Europe are socialists... .so socialists want a fellow socialist (Obama) to win.

Could not agree more. Europeans don't even fight anymore, they just give up and they want a like minded wussy as U.S. President!

So let me get this. The world thought we should have elected Al Gore. The world thought we should have elected John Kerry. The world thinks we should elect Barack Obama. The home town bigots of America have never heard of Europe. They never saw a black man before. They never saw an asian before. They never saw a hispanic before.They never saw a true native american before. They cling to their God and religion becuase they are racist, poor, uneducated and afraid of diversity.

Well, getting back to the issues concerning real Americans, I am left wondering about our Senate and House and the fragile simple majority in the Senate.

Maybe I should frame such as a question for Vice President nominee Sarah Palin?

Nominee Sarah Palin, do you think that if Senator Barry Sanders of Vermont and Senator Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut were to "become" Senate Republicans tomorrow our Congress might get to the issues of American political road blocks still maintained by Congressional Democrats in the faces of the New Iraqi Government out of such a log jam as Representitive Christopher Shays of Connecticut did so attempt over 2008? By consistantly avoiding allowing debate on the issues Representative Shay did so attempt to breach is not our House at least constructively avoiding debate that could lead to political reconciliation between Iraq and our American Congress and on issue mostly of "compensation" or self funding of "change" in Iraq? Would four months with a Republican majority for remainder of 2008 break down such polarizing walls?

Hillary, would it have taken another hundred years for Afganistani women to gain such freedoms we are there now defending if not for 9/11? Did you think such as you went around such turf telling their mostly male leadership that their women deserved equal rights? Hillary how could you return home after such crusading and sit by and watch your husband cut our defense and intelligence spending?

Europe, have you increased your force strengths towards joining such crusading of Hillary/Obama types in the future? Or is that what you are polling towards hoping to avoid?

Europe is for Obama. Islam/middle east is for Obama. American Welfare recipients are for Obama. Canadians are for Obama. All of the third world is for Obama. Other countries want US Citizens to pay more tax so that they can get more foreign aid. This doesn't make a case for Obama in my book. Sounds like Jimmy Carter again. Obama will screw our allies and give away our assets. Just like carter betrayed the Shaw of Iran and gave away the Panama Canal.

Forty-seven percent of Europeans believe an Obama victory in November would lead to a better relationship between the United States and Europe, compared with just 5 percent who think Obama would weaken the transatlantic relationship.

By comparison, only 11 percent think Sen. John McCain would strengthen European-American relations if he were elected president. More than half of respondents said a McCain administration would keep relations between the United States and Europe in roughly the condition they are now.

This is proof that Europe has a better education system - and a more educated populace than the United States.

What is Governor Palin’s National Security/Foreign Policy experience?

All McCain’s supporters answer this question by either saying that she's more experienced than Obama or McCain has lots of experience. Both answers miss the point. Let's forget Obama is the Democratic Nominee (that's ludicrous, I know, but play along); in other words, let's look at Sarah Palin from a purely objective and non-political viewpoint and judge her on her merits and qualifications to assume the Presidency should McCain keel over on Jan 22, 2009. Without invoking or comparing her to Obama, tell me honestly how she is ready to assume the Presidency?

Can’t answer? In fact, no one from the McCain campaign or the GOP has given a straight answer to this. The man the GOP is supporting in this election reviewed and decided on Sarah Palin from among many willing and much more qualified Republicans. Why? Clearly, he did it for media attention, a few votes, and some campaign money. He chose her not because she provides a leadership insurance policy worthy of America and the free world, but to improve his own chances of gaining power. This sad and overtly superficial motive -and the real peril it places you, me, and our children in- is wholly inexcusable, regardless of who he is running against or where he stands in the polls.

At some point, the GOP is going to reach a point of no return in desperately supporting this most indefensible decision. How much more credibility can this battered party afford to lose? Do you think former Joint Chiefs Chairman / SECSTATE Colin Powell is going to endorse a Presidential ticket with Sarah Palin on it? REALLY??? Has any retired General or Admiral endorsed this pick? Does that matter to you? Because it darn sure matters to me, especially since we've got 200,000 American boys and girls in the middle of a war in two countries, and have rogue, unstable nuclear powers emerging in NE Asia and the Persian Gulf. The GOP is lost. We as citizens need to pick someone with some relevant experience and qualifications to protect our nation's securtiy and salvage any chance of resoring our credibility in the world. I don't say that as a Democrat or as a Republican, but as a conscientious American citizen.

So...EU countries want us to show LESS leadership in the world, AND they want Obama to be president. They want us to elect a weaker leader, and show MORE WEAKNESS in the world. Maybe we can fund 100% of the UN while we are at it, and give Iran, North Korea, and Syria permanent positions on the security council while we are at it. I'm going to start preparing my requisition form for a new TV from the National Democratic Socialist Government now, so I can make sure I get it by 2020. I wouldn't want to miss my daily indoctrination from watching the new government channel on how I can give more of my income in the name of "neighborliness", and being "fair" in HD.

Obama will screw our allies and give away our assets. Just like carter betrayed the Shaw of Iran and gave away the Panama Canal

Sorry my friend, the Republicans have gave away our assets. We are in debt to Communist China for half of our country. John Mccain wants to open up more free trade to the world to ship more jobs over seas so the rich get richer and the poor like yourself get poorer.

Many of our enemies ARE our enemies for the simple fact that they have had to deal with flaming assho!es like Bush and saber-rattlers like McCain.

McCain has antagonized Russia and threatened Iran (bomb, bomb, bomb) in an attempt to feel like a big man !! He has made incredibly irresponsible remarks... and if you didn't know better (and I am not sure we do) you would think he was trying to start yet another war !!!

That would not surprise me... when you come from a military family, your life could get kinda boring if there is no "enemy" to kill !!

It is clearly time for diplomacy and sactions and getting more countries on the side of good, to put pressure on those who are committing crimes on humanity.

We cannot do it alone and need many, many allied countrys on our side if we are ever to really achieve some kind of lasting world peace and diminish terrorist cells.

The world clearly wants this as well... and think Obama overwhelmingly is the man to do it.

Millions and millions of Americans think/KNOW the same thing.

Of course, there will always be those incredibly selfish people voting strickly on guns and religious agendas... rather than what is good for the entire country and the world.